Improved apparatus for carbureting gas



WL M. WRIGHT.

Gas Carburetor.

Patented July 17, 1866.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. WRIGHT,OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND.IAB/IESE. PILKINGTON, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CARBURETING GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,503, dated July 17,1866.

To all whom 1S/may concern.' h

Beit known that I, WILLIAM M. WRIGHT, of Baltimore, in the county ofBaltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and improvedapparatus for increasing the bulk as well as the illuminating propertyof the heavy carbureted hydrogen or oleiiant gas used to light ourstreets. This has been often attempted before by mauydifterentcontrivances. Therefore I lay no claim to the principle, but to animproved apparatus by which these gases can be held as long as desiredin contact with the vapor of hydrocarbon fluids while passing throughthe apparatus. Thus in a box twelve (l2) inches square the gas can bemade to traverse a chamber one hundred and forty-four (144) inches, (ormore, if required,) charged with hydrocarbon vapor. Being thus so longheld in contact with the vapor it receives additional equivalents fromit, so as not onlyincreases its volume, but greatly improves itsilluminating power. I do hereby declare the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the construction and operation of myimprovement, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a partof this specification, in which- Figure A is an upright sectional view,showing the gas-chamber formed by the divisionplates. Fig. B is atransverse section. Figs. O and D are divisionplates; Fig. E, the box;Figs. F F, the gas-pipe attachments; Fig. H, opening for pouring in thehydrocarbon huid; Fig. K, glass gage; Fig. R, sectional View of fiattube; Figs. l l l l l l, gas-chamber; Fig. N, iiat tube; Fig. 2,hydrocarbon Huid; Fig. 3, cloth covering on plates; Fig. 4, notches indivision-plates; Fig. 5, opening in divisionplate D.

The box can be made of tin or galvanized iron, or their equivalents, andshould be of such a size as to effect the work contemplated. A box onefoot square is a convenient size, and when charged with one gallon ofhydrocarbon :fluid of aproper kind will earburet from seven to tenthousand feet of gas, according to the quality of it.

The division-plates are made of the same material as the box, and are oftwo kinds. The plates O are notched above and below, Fig. 4. The platesD are notched below, Fig.

4, with two openings, Figs. 5 5, about onethird distance from thebottom. The size of these openings should correspond with the amount ofgas to be passed through them. These plates are covered with woolen orcotton cloth, Figs. 3 3, leaving bare a half-inch on either side topermit the plates heilig soldered in the box.

In making the box one side should be left off, so that thedivision-plates can be inserted in the following manner: First, mark offequidistant lspaces on the sides of the box; then take a plate, O, andplace it first in position and solder it fast-viz., the whole length ofplate on both sides; then take a plate, D, and place it next inposition, and solder the same as the other, including the upper end,thusalternating unt-il all are fixed in, ending with a plate, O. Nowsolder on the remaining side. The box should be tested as to its beinggastight before being used. Now charge the box with the hydrocarboniiuid to a point below the holes in the plate D, which can be bestdetermined by the glass gage K. The box should be well shaken, so as tofully saturate the cloth. When it is attached for practical purposes itsoperation is as follows: The gas enters at the opening, Fig. F, andtakes the course of the arrows in the drawing A, rising through the topof the box, passing through the notch, Fig. 4, of the plate O, thendescends to the openings, Fig. 5, in theplateD, passing th rough them,and thus up and through the entire length of the chamber till it makesits exit at Fig. F into the ordinary pipes and fixtures, to be conductedto the points for using.

The amount of iinid in the box can be seen by examining the gage, Fig.K. It should be vreplenished when within one-half inch of the bottom.The gas is by the chamber held long in contact with the cloth saturatedwith hydrocarbon.

The broad flat tube, Fig. N, is made of two pieces of tin. The backplate, Fig. P, is oneeighth (gi) of an inch deeper than the front plate,T.

The edges o o o o are soldered their whole length. Into this flat tubeis drawn a piece of flannel cloth of double thickness. I ts lower edgeis seen at Fig. Y and the upper end at Fig. X, where it is turned overone inch as an apron on the front plate, T. This piece is held down bythe small bar of tin W. This tlat tube can be placed at the side of thebox, as seen in the drawing` A, or alongside of the division-plates;or,if desired, it could be made to take the place of thedivision-plates.

For a box twelve (l2) inches square I would recommend the use ot' t'our(4) of these tubes, placed at different parts of the box. I do not claimthe principle ot capillary attraction.

The operation is as follows: The fluid is drawn u p through the tube bycapillary att-raction from the lowest part ot' the box only, and entersthe tube at Fig. Y and is discharged by the apron Z. This operation isconstantly going` on, so that in twenty-four hours one gallon ot"hydrocarbon iiuid will change its rela tive position as to bottom, top,and middle positions. By the operation of this flat tube there is keptup a continual interchange of every drop of hydrocarbon fluid containedin the box within a given time, and this goes on until it is allconsumed.

By the application of' this principle the last drop ot' the hydrocarbonis kept at the saine specific gravity as when it was put into theapparatus.

The hydrocarbon cannot become less volatile as it decreases in bulk byevaporation, but

will maintain its original volatility as long as any portion ot itremains, thus overcoming the `great difficulty experienced byexperimenters, viz: that the ratio of decrease of Volatility inhydrocarbon fluids is in proportion to the decrease of bulk byevaporation.

I claiin- 1. The use of divisiomplates covered with cloth or itsequivalent material, with their openings, notches, and adjustments inanin closed box, so as to form a continuous air-tight chamber when thelower part of the boX is charged with a iiuid, as and for the purposedescribed.

2. The use of the tlat tube, or its equivalent arrangement, forpreventing the heavier portions ofthe iuid hydrocarbon from remaining atthe bottom of the box, thereby securing` a uniform volatility from allthe fluid till it is consumed, as and for the purpose described.

3. A combination of division-plates, openings, notches, cloth coverings,and hat tube in an inclosed boX, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

WILLIAM M. WRIGHT.

. Witnesses:

H. I). S. WRIGHT, Taos. YARDLEY.

